Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Whoopi Goldberg, and more celebrities reacted to the verdict given in the trial of Derek Chauvin for the killing of George Floyd.
After a verdict was given on Tuesday night in the trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd, several celebrities and prominent figures took to social media to air their thoughts.
Former President Barack Obama released a statement praising the jury for doing the right thing. However, he noted that the country still needed true justice to eliminate racial bias in the criminal justice system.
A memorial portrait of George Floyd painted on a storefront sidewall of CTown Supermarket on July 13, 2020 in Brooklyn, New York. | Photo: Getty Images
Obama urged citizens to keep on fighting for concrete reforms for the police. Media mogul Oprah Winfrey took to Instagram to share an emotional message about Chauvin's conviction. She wrote:
"Relieved—and emotional in ways I didn't expect. I cried tears of joy as each verdict was read. I'm grateful to the witnesses and their testimonies."
Winfrey concluded, appreciating Darnella Frazier, the 17-year-old witness who filmed the killing, and the jurors for doing the right thing and acknowledging the brutality the whole world saw.
The disgraced police officer faces up to 75 years in prison.
Whoopi Goldberg took to Twitter to celebrate the verdict. She noted that although Chauvin was found guilty, no one wins as Floyd remains dead. Actress Kerry Washington urged that there was still a lot of work to do to achieve justice.
Matriarch Kris Jenner released a lengthy statement about how the verdict doesn't make up for Floyd's death. She, however, expressed joy at the victory the deceased's loved ones enjoyed with the conviction.
Former First Lady Hilary Clinton stated that Floyd's family deserved that their son's killer accountable be held accountable for his actions. On Tuesday night, they finally received it. She concluded, writing, "Always and forever, Black Lives Matter."
After weeks of trial, Chauvin was found guilty on all three counts. He was charged with second-degree and third-degree murder as well as second-degree manslaughter after more than 10 hours of deliberation by the jurors.
The disgraced police officer faces up to 75 years in prison. On May 25, 2020, Floyd passed away in police custody after Chauvin knelt on his neck for over nine minutes during an arrest in Minneapolis.
His unjust death caused an outpouring of anger and resulted in a nationwide protest against police brutality and social injustice. Celebrities voiced out on social media, joining the campaign for justice.
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